Construction of collapsible sanitary wire belts



Dec. 18, 1962 F. L. HOOPER- 3, 9, 1

CONSTRUCTION OF COLLAPSIBLE SANITARY WIRE BELTS INVENTOR. FR E 0 H OOPER United States Patent Ofifice 3,069,l21 Patented Dec. 18, 19623,969,121 CONSTRUCTION OF COLLAPSIBLE SANITARY WIRE BELTS Fred L.Hooper, 304 Talbot Ave., Cambridge, Md. Filed Dec. 1, 1959, Ser. No.856,460

1 Claim. (Cl. 245-6) This invention relates to types of construction forwoven wire fabric such as is used in conveyor belts in which connectingrods having loops on the ends extend through convolutions of adjoiningspirals, the end convolutions of the spirals also having loops thereonwhereby the fabric may be collapsed or moved into a configuration whichpermits removal of all foreign matter or as described hereafter, permitsthe fabric to be completely sanitized with a detergent or othercleansing agent.

The purpose of this invention is to provide fabric constructions forwoven wire belts which enable the user to quickly and easily clean thefabric of all foreign matter.

I The specific present use is as a belt to convey products in the foodindustry where the possibility of bacteria growth being transferred fromthe belt to the product must be held to a minimum. In the past thispossibility presented little difliculty due to the fact that the foodproduct, at least once during the processing, was subjected to atemperature sufficiently high to kill all bacteria. However, with theadvent of frozen foods the industry underwent an abrupt change. Anybacteria allowed to grow on the belt may be transferred to the foodproduct being carried by the belt as such bacteria will remain in adormant state while frozen and will not be killed by the freezingprocess. Subsequently, when the consumer thaws the product, the bacteriainitially present will initiate an action whereby the quantity ofbacteria will double at a late on the order of once each 20 minutes.This bacteria growth during the thawing process causes deterioration ofthe pro-duct. Consequently, the pro-duct must be prepared and frozenwith an absolute minimum of bacteria present and hence the belt must beone that is easily sanitized.

Belt constructions used at present in the frozen food industry arecomposed of transversely disposed spirals connected by rods. In thisconstruction the spirals will move longitudinally with respect to eachother and will permit sanitizing.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide constructionswhereby the individual components of the belt may be moved out ofintimate contact one with another and allow sanitizing. In theconstruction of this invention the belt utilizes rods as bearingsurfaces between spirals and it is another object of this invention toprovide a construction whereby the spirals and rods may be movedlongitudinally, one with respect to another into a configuration whichpermits free and open access to all parts of the spirals and rods forsanitizing with a detergent or other cleansing agent.

Another object of this invention is to present types of constructionwhereby the component parts are given limited freedom of movementlongitudinally for sanitizing, but which upon return to normal operatingconditions causes all component parts to return exactly to their initialrelative positions. In other words the spirals must not tend to rotatewith respect to each other and the spirals anltli rods must not displacelaterally with respect to each ot er.

Another important object of this invention is, therefore, to providemeans for closing ends of rods and spirals at the sides of a woven wireconveyor belt whereby both the rods and spirals are free to movelongitudinally in respect to each other in a belt and in which elongatedloops are provided on ends of the spirals and rods.

Consequently, no single component is rigidly fastened to any othercomponent and each may move with re- 2 spect to another. However, whenthe belt is pulled taut all components will return to their initialpositions.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a section of a wire conveyor belt in whichspirals are joined by rods and in which the spirals and rods are selfcontained.

FIGURE 2 is an edge elevational view of the section of Wire chain shownin FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view similar to that shown in FIG- URE 1 showing theparts collapsed wherein the spirals and rods are moved longitudinally ofthe belt whereby spaces are provided between all parts.

FIGURE 4 is an edge elevational view of the wire conveyor belt shown inFIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a view showing portions of a rod and coil illustrating theloops at the ends of the rods and coils and showing the par-ts in spacedrelation.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts the improved wire fabric conveyor belt of thisinvention includes a plurality of rods 10 which each have a plurality ofspaced apart corrugations that define ofiset portions 11, and the endsof the rods are shaped to provide closed generally elliptical loops 12.The loops of one red have projecting therethrough a portion of anadjoining rod as shown in the drawings.

The belt further includes a plurality of spiral elements 13 which eachinclude a plurality of convolutions 14 that embody straight portions 15,and the straight portions 15 are interconnected by curved sections 16.The curved sections 16 are arranged in engagement with the offsetportions 11 of adjacent rods 10.

The ends of the spiral elements are provided with loops 17 that arecoiled around an adjacent rod and the last named coils are secured as at18 to contiguous straight portions of an adjoining convolution.

The loops on the spiral elements are arranged in spaced parallelrelation with respect to each other, and the loops on the rods arearranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other. Asshown in the drawings the loops on the rods are arranged .angularly withrespect to the loops on the spiral elements. Also, the loops on the rodsare oriented in the same direction with respect to each other.Similarly, the loops on the spiral elements are oriented in the samedirection relative to each other.

The loops of the rods are not connected to loops on the ends of thespirals and, consequently, the rods are free to slide longitudinally ofthe spiral elements and the spiral elements are free to slidetransversely of the rods.

A belt constructed in accordance with this invention provides the userwith a unit, by which a cleaning or sanitizing agent may reach everypart of the belt. When the belt is collapsed by a means at thedescretion of the user each individual component will move out of closecontact with other components and will allow various sanitizing methodsto adequately clean every pant of the belt. Then when the belt is againpulled taut and normal operation resumes every individual component willreturn to its initial position leaving the belt clean and transferring aminimum of foreign matter or bacteria to the product being carried.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of theappended claim, may be made in the design and arrangement of the partswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

As a new article of manufacture, a conveyor belt having a woven wirefabric construction and said belt comprising a plurality of rods whichare each provided with a plurality of spaced apart corrugations thatdefine offset portions, the ends of the rods being shaped to provideclosed generally elliptical loops, the loops of 'one rod havingprojecting therethrough a portion of an adjacent rod, said belt furtherincluding a plurality of spiral elements which each include a pluralityof convolutions that embody straight portions which are interconnectedby curved sections, said curved sections being arranged in engagementwith the offset portions of adjacent rods, the ends of the spiralelements being provided with loops that are coiled around a contiguousrod, said last named loops being affixed to contiguous straight portionsof adjoining convolutions, the loops on the spiral elements beingarranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other andbeing oriented in the same direction; the loops on the rods beingarranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other andbeing oriented in the same direction, the loops on the rods beingarranged angularly with respect to the loops on the spinal elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

